Understanding breast cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. About 46,000 women get breast cancer in the UK each year. Most of them (eight out of 10) are over 50, but younger women and, in rare cases, men can also get breast cancer.
The NHS Breast Screening Programme was set up in 1988 and has screened more than 19 million women and detected around 117,000 cases of breast cancer. Women aged 50–70 are invited for breast cancer screening every three years. Women over 70 are also entitled to screening and can arrange an appointment through their GP or local screening unit.
Use this evidence-based NHS guide to find out more about breast cancer, what you can do if you have it and how the NHS can help.
